Improvement in percussion-exploders for shells



`LM. CQNNELLRA Shen.

\ No. 37,566. Patented Feb. 3 1863.

itinrrnn" STATES Fa'rnnr Ottica. L

J. M. OONNEL, OF NEVARK, OHIO.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,566, dated February 3, 1363.

To all whom, t 71mg/ concern,.-

Be it known that I, Jnnns M. CONNEL, of Newark, in the State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Shell-Exploder; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon-like letters in the several figures indicating the saine parts-and in which drawings- Figures l and 2 are views showing my shellexploder in proper position within a shell, either for transportation or immediate use, as may be desired. Fig. 2 showsvthe action of the exploder when the shell strikes its side against a resisting object instead of its forward end.

rfhe object of my invention is to provide a shell with an exploder which, when inserted within the shell, will allow of a safe transportation of the latter, and which exploder will act without failure in causing an explosion, not only when its forward point strikes a resisting object, but also when from a long range the shell falls flatly on the field, or in such ianner as to cause it to ricochet.

As shown in the figures, Aindicates a screwplug, in rear of which a plunger-rod, b, projects, the whole being constructed of one piece of metal, though they may be made of separate pieces, and iii any proper manner secured together'. The rear portion or end of rod b terminates with a screw-thread, as indicated, for the reception of a screw-nut, c, between which nut and the shoulder d of the screwplug a metallic plunger, E, is confined, as rcpresented. The plunger E may be either cylindrical or square, and centrally of its length is perforated to properly lit and slide upon the rod b, and on its forward end is provided with three or inore nipples, j', which nipples may be cast upon and with the body of the plunger. These nipples are intended to receive percussion-caps, as represented in the drawings, which caps may be made to coinein contactwith a leather disk, g', interposed between them and the shoulder d of the screw-plug A, as shown in Fig. l; or they may be made to bear directly against the rear of the screwplug, as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. L shows a plan of this disk y', it being provided with a slit from center to periphery, in order to all-ow it to be adjusted readily upon the rod b without passing the disk lengthwise over said rod. Thus, when the disk is in position as shown in Fig. 1, it may readily be removed by simply easing the nut c, and then drawing upon itin a direction at right angles with the rod b.. In

Fig. l, I have shown this disk inserted between the percussion-caps and the screw-plug A., the plunger being screwed up, so as t0 give the nipples and caps and disk a steady bearing against the rear portion or shoulder d of the screw-plug. In such position the shell may be transported and handled with little danger of a premature explosion, the function performed by the disk gbeing to prevent the eX- plosion of the caps while the shell is being subjected to the ordinaryjar and handling incident to its manipulation previous to its being fired from the cannon.

I have found from actual experiment that the disk may remain in. position, as shown in Fig. l, wh en the shell is fired off and still incur no risk of a failure to cause an explosion of the shell; but to secure with unerring certainty the desired explosion, it may be well to withdraw the disk just before firing, and adjust the plunger so that the caps shall-abut against the screw-plug, as shown in Fig. 2. In such last-named position the shell, after being fired oft', ifit strikes its forward end against a resisting objectLwill, bythe concussion, cause the explosion of all the caps upon the plunger. If however, it should, owingto long range, Hall llatly, so to speak, upon the ground, or in such manner as to cause the shell to ricochet, the force of the blow upon the ground will be such as to cause the stem or rod b, which supports the plunger, to be bent down, as indicated in Fig. 3, thus bringing at least one of the caps in contact with the shoulder d of the screwplug with a sudden leverage concussion, and so insuring the explosion of the same, as clearly indicated in said last-named ligure.

By thus constructing and applying a shellexploder to a' shell, B, I dispense with theplunger-tubes ordinarily used, economize room in the interior oi the shell, and at the saine time secure the explosion ofthe shell under circumstances where the ordinary shell-exploders do not effect such result,

The disk g may be made f leather, rubber, felt, or any other like yielding material.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to seoure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. Suspending a plunger upon a proj eeting stein, b, ofthe screw-plug A, in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. SO applying a shell-exploder to a shell that when the latter strikes obliquely Or sidei Wise the said exploder Shall be ignited by a leverage impact against the rear Of the screwplu g, in the manner substantially as described. Witness my hand in the mattei' of my application for patent 0n shell-exploder this 27 th day of September, A. D. 1862.

J. M. CONN EL.

Vitnesses: ALONZO P. TAYLOR, JOHN CONNEL, J r. 

